, 1887-01-06
LITTLE MAC AND HIS GENERALS.
Gen. McCleilan's Opinion of His Lieuten-
ants as Expressed in His Book.

ants as Expressed in His Book.
h Kearney received a brigade; but
though he stood high as a remarkably
daring man and good cavalry captain in
the Mexican war, | had not sufficient con
hdence in his brains to give him one of
the first divisions. / have since some
times thought that l would have done
well had l given him command of the
cavalry.
Sumner was in California when I as
m command; he returned not long
before we took the field and at once re-
ceived IA division. He was an old and
tried officer, perfectly honest, as brave a
man as could be, conscientious and labori-
Gus. In many respects he was a model
soldier. He was 0 man for whom 1 had a
very high regard, and for his memory /
have the greatest respect. He was a very
valuable man, and his soldierly example
was of the highest value in a new army.
A nation is fortunate that possesses many
such soldiers as was Edwin V. Sumner.
Franklin was one of the best officers i
had; very powerful. He was a man not
only of excellent judgment, but of a re-
markably high order of intellectual
ability. He was often badly treated, and
seldom received the credit he deserved.
His moral character was of the highest,
and he was in all respects an admirable
corps commander; more than that, he
would have commanded an army well.
The only reason why l did not SEND him
to relieve Sherman instead of Buell. was
that l could not spare such IA man from
the Army of the Potomac.
FitZ John Porter was on duty with Gen.
Patterson as adjutant general when l as
sumed command. AS soon us possible |
had him made brigadier general, and gave
him the command vacated by w. T. Sher-
man. Take him for all in all, he was
probably the best general officer L had
under me. He had excellent ability,
sound judgment and all the instincts of
u soldier. He was perfectly familiar with
all the details Of his duty, an excellent
organizer and administrative officer, and
one of the most conscientious and labori-
GUS men / ever knew. never found it
necessary to do more than give him gen
eral instructions, for it was certain that
all details would be cared for and nothing
neglected. l always knew that an order
given to him would be fully carried out
were it morally and physically possible.
He was one of the coolest and most i'm
perturbable men in danger l ever knew
like all his race. | shall have occasion
to revert to him hereafter, and will now
only add that he was treated with the
g~rossest injustice, chiefly. I fear, because
of his devotion to me.
To Sedgwick l gave IA brigade. Not
knowing him well did not at first appre-
ciate his high qualities, but soon discov-
cred them and gave him the first vacant
division-that originally commanded by
Stone. He was one of the best and most
modest soldiers we had. Possessing ex-
cellent ability and judgment, the highest
bravery, great skill in handling troops,
wonderful powers in instructing and dis
ciplining men as well as in gaining their
love, respect and confidence, he was with
al 80 modest and u%nobtrusive that it was
necessary to be thrown closely in contact
with him to appreciate him. He was
thoroughly unselfish, honest and true as
steel. His conduct during the battle of
Chancellorsville in storming the works on
Marie's Heights, and afterward holding
his own against tremendous odds, was
remarkable and most brilliant feat of
arms.
Hancock received Il brigade early in the
formation of the Army of the Potomac.
He was n man of the most chivalrous
courage and of a superb presence, especi-
ally in action; he had n wonderfully
quick and correct eye for ground and for
handling troops; his judgment was good,
and it would be difficult to find n better
corps commander.
JoHn hey HoluS was COMMUNICATE OF the
corps of cadets when the war broke out.
He gained n high reputation in the Mexi-
can wal as an officer of light artillery, and
was among the first whom | caused to be
appointed brigadier general. He was u
splendid soldier m performed admirably
every duty assigned to him. Constantly
improving, he was, when killed at Gettys-
burg with Meade and Sedgwick, the best
officer then with the Army of the Potomac.
He was remarkably brave and intelligent,
an honest, true gentleman.
Meade was also one of my early APP
pointments as brigadier general. He
was. an excellent officer; cool, brave and
intelligent; he always did his duty admir-
ably and was an honest man. AS COM
mander of an army he was far superior to
either Hooker or Burnside.-Gen. George
B. McClellan's Book.